Method and structure for connecting electrodes to feed cables

ABSTRACT

&lt;PICT:1003184/C6-C7/1&gt; An electrode arrangement for cathodic protection of immersed structures comprises an electrode 1, preferably made of cast iron containing silicon, having a central bore of which part is tapered, wherein the electrical supply cable 2 passes through the bore.  The electrode may be secured to the supply cable without being cut by tapering elements such as rubber packings 7 and 8 wedged, and preferably glued or cemented, in the bore between the cable and electrode and on either side of two tapered half-casings 5a and 5b, e.g. of copper, which provide electrical connection between a part of the cable from which the insulation has been removed and the electrode.  Specification 898,840 is referred to.

June 20, 1967 B. M. L. HEUZE METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR CONNECTING ELECTRODES TO FEED CABLES; Filed May 20, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l JWL June 20, 1967 HEUZE 7 3,326,791

METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR CONNECTING ELECTRODES TO FEED CABLES Filed May 20, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5 12 United States Patent 898,8 Claims. (El. 204-496) The present invention relates to improved electrodes With cathodic protection, especially to ferro-silicon electrodes which may be readily connected with the feed wires, and to a novel method of connecting the electrodes in accordance with the present invention to the feed wires.

Well known in the prior art are the good qualities of electrodes made of cast-iron and containing silicon which are utilized in the cathodic protection against the corrosion. In particular, the excellent resistance of these alloys to the corrosive environments within which the electrodes are dipped or submerged, gives to the latter a duration of life which is relatively long. However, the very high hardness of the ferro-silicon alloys renders the machining thereof extremely difficult and it is oftentimes impossible to give to the electrodes made of ferrosilicon materials the shape and form which they should have in order to permit the electrodes to be easily secured to the cable which feeds the same.

The securing problem of the cast-iron electrodes containing silicon to the cable is even more delicate when it is necessary, as is oftentimes the case in the protection of immersed constructions, to dispose of these electrodes a significant number in series along a cable which traverses the same axially and which serves at the same time as support and electric conductor. In effect, it is necessary to avoid any possible degradation of the mechanical resistance of the cable and for that purpose to mount the electrodes without dividing the cable into the sections.

It has already been proposed heretofore to give to the electrodes forms and shapes such that they can be mounted and secured without the necessity of cutting the cable. However, these forms cannot, in most cases, be readily given to the ferro-silicon alloys.

The assignee of the present application also owns US. patent application S.N. 86,474, now US. Patent No. 3,134,731, in which is described an electrode which may be a casting containing silicon and which is secured to the cable without requiring that the latter be cut. Such electrodes, which are easy to manufacture, give very good results but necessitate special assembly tools and dies.

The present invention relates to an electrode which may, if so desired, be readily realized of cast-iron containing silicon, of which the cost of production is less than that of the electrodes known heretofore and of which the assembly, itself rapid and easy, which takes place without cutting the cable into sections, may be effected without any difiiculty on the job. It is also understood, of course, that the present invention is independent of the particular material constituting the electrode.

The electrode according to the present invention is particularly characterized by the fact that it is provided with a bore of which at least a portion is conical.

According to another characteristic of the present invention the securing of the electrode to the cable and its connection with the latter are assured by the wedging action within the conical portion of the central bore of the electrode of one or several conical elements which traverse the cable axially or which surround the same.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide electrodes which avoid, by simple means, the prior art shortcomings and disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.

It is another object of the present invention to provide relatively hard electrodes, particularly consisting of ferrosilicon alloys, which may be readily mounted on and connected to the feed and support cable thereof without requiring complicated and expensive assembly tools.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of electrodes particularly made of ferro-silicon alloys, to which a desired shape is given by casting in such a manner as to obviate the need for further machining.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of electrodes made of hard alloys difficult to machine, which may be readily connected to the feed cable without requiring cutting of the feed cable and which in no way impairs the electrical connection nor the mechanical support function of the cable.

Still a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of novel, improved ferro-silicon electrodes and to a method of mounting and electrically connecting the same to the cable which is simple, relatively inexpensive in assembly and which permits the electrode assembly to be immersed in liquid without danger of corrosion to the conection.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through an electrode in accordance with the present invention mounted on a cable,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through the electrode of FIGURE 1, illustrating the assembly thereof,

FIGURE 3 is an axial longitudinal cross sectional view through one of the two half-shells or casings assuring the electrical connection between the cable and the electrode,

FIGURE 4 is a device which may be utilized for the assembly in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 5 illustrates schematically a plurality of electrodes according to the present invention mounted along a cable and immersed for the protection of an immersed construction.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the various views to designate corresponding parts, and more particularly to FIG- URE l, the electrode 1 illustrated therein is made of cast-iron containing silicon. The portions A1B andCD of the central bore are clyindrical Whereas the portion BC is conical, whereby the angle of conicity may be approximately 2 and 30' but may also vary from this figure within the purview of the present invention.

The electrode 1 is traversed by the electric cable 2 provided with its insulation 3 of any suitable material.

Within the conical portion BC of the central bore of casings 5a and 5b also of conical form. These half-shells or casings 5a and 5b which are at the same time in contact with the bare cable along the portion 4 thereof and in contact with the electrode 1, assure the electrical connec-' tion and participate in securing the electrode 1 to the cable 2.

the median portion thereof in such a mannerthat a ring clamp or collar 6 constituted either by an elastic split ring or by a metallic wire, wound once or several times about the same, maintains in place the two half-shells or casings 5a and 5b during the assembly.

a This ring clamp 6 is thereafter left in place. The rubber packings 7 and 8 have the form of a truncated cone in which is provided axially a cylindrical passage of which the diameter is substantially equal to that of the cable 2 with its insulation. Preferably, the packings 7 and 8 are of split construction as shown in the drawing at 9 and 10 in such a manner as to be able to be emplaced by separating the rims of the gap without the necessity of causing the packings 9 and 10 to slide over a large length of the cable.

The rubber elements 7 and 8 which constitute the packings are wedged between the electrode 1 and the cable 2. Furthermore, the elements 7 and 8 may be bonded, glued or cemented in any suitable manner to the cable 2 and to the conical portion of the bore of the electrode 1. The rubber elements 7 and 8 serve for fixing or securing the electrode 1 to the cable 2 and at the same time insulate from the corrosive environment the two half-shells or casings 5a and 5b. The conicity of the elements 7, 5a, 5b and 8 is the same as that of the electrode center bore and the external diameters thereof are such that they occupy, within the conical accommodation, exactly the place that one desires.

The assembly of the electrode may be effectuated in the following manner which is schematically shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. As many electrodes 1 are threaded over the cable 2 as are necessary, the portion of the larger bore being oriented toward the terminal electrode. In those places where one desires to secure the electrodes, one bares the cable 2 along a length 4 at least equal to the length of the half-shells or casings 5a and 5b which are thereupon applied over the bare cable portion. The two half-shells 5a and 5b are maintained in place either by means of an elastic split ring 6 which had been threaded previously over the cable at the same time as the electrodes or by means of one or several turns of a metallic or non-metallic Wire.

The rubber fitting or packing 8 is thereupon placed over the cable 2 near the half-shells or casings 5a and 5b. Thereupon the portion of the cable 2 located between the assembly formed by the two half-shells 5a and 5b and the packing 8 is coated with any suitable known bonding substance such as a glue with a base of the elastomer sold under the designation neoprene, and thereafter the packing 8 is displaced until it touches the half-shell assembly 5a, 5b, 6.

Thereafter, the internal conical surface of the electrode 1 is also coated with the glue or bonding material, and one now moves the assembly constituted by the elements 5a, 5b and 8 into the conical portion of the electrode 1. The assembly is thereafter fixed within the electrode by any appropriate means, for example, by proceeding with a compacting action by means of a round hollow halftube 11 (FIGURE 4) to which is also imparted a rotation in such a manner as to obtain a well distributed progressive wedging.

It may seem surprising to coat the entire internal surface of the central bore of the electrode with a layer of a bonding or gluing material which constitutes an electrical insulation. However, it has been noted that this manner of proceeding facilitates the emplacement and laying operation and improves the tightness and is without influence on the quality of the electrical connection between the anode and the half-shells 5a and 5b. This may be explained by the fact that since the central bore of the anode is as cast, the contact between the half-shells 5a and and 5b and the anode 1 does not take place over the entire surface but instead along points or along generatrices. At the places of contact the pressure due to the wedgin g of the half-shells is extremely high and removes or displaces the bonding material such that the electrical connection is assured.

Thereafter one coats with bonding material the free 4 space of the electrode, and one places over the cable 2 the packing 9 which is thereafter pushed to the bottom of the space.

If the electrode which is assembled is a terminal electrode, then the packing 9 does not have any axial cylindrical passage but is solid as shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 4 shows more particularly a device which may be utilized for the last phases of the assembly of the electrodes. The electrode 1 is placed onto a support 12 provided with an aperture and an orifice intended to permit thecable to pass therethrough.

The anode arrangement shown in FIGURE 5 and constituted by several electrodes according to the present invention permits to resolve, by the choice of cables with a high mechanical resistance, all of the problems of cathodic protection under which it is subjected to stresses, for example, in the case of immersed constructions.

While I have shown and described one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications within the spirit and scope thereof and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical, a substantially uninterrupted feed cable extending through said central bore, and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned physically adjacent conical Wedging elements wedgingly accommodated within the conical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode. 2. An electrode providing cathodic protection, 'comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical, a substantially uninterrupted feed cable extending through said central bore, 1 and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging elements wedgingly accommodated Within the conical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode, said elements being bonded to both said cable and said electrode. 3. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical,

a substantially uninterrupted feed cable extending through said central bore, and

means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging elements wedgingly accommodated within the conical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode,

some of said elements being made of a conductor material wedged into said bore to assure the electrical connection.

4. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical,

electrode body being assured by at least one of said conical wedging means which is made of, electrically conductive material and at least partially surrounds a substantially uninterrupted feed cable extending through said central bore, and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection said cable. therebetween including a plurality of conical wedg- 8. An electrode providing cathodic protection, coming elements wedgingly accommodated Within the prising:

an electrode body formed of a ferro-silicon alloy and provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical,

a feed cable extending substantially uninterruptedconical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode,

some of said elements being made of a conductor material wedged into said bore to assure the electrical through said central bore,

and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of conical wedgl-ar groove means in said half-shells for accommodating therein a securing member for securing the two conical half shells in assembled relation over the bare cable, and others of said elements being coniconnection, 10 ly through said central bore, said last-mentioned elements being constituted by two and means for securing said electrode to said cable conical half-shells made of a conductive material and at the same time providing an electrical conand placed on both sides over the bare cable, groove nection therebetween including a plurality of separate means in said half-shells for accommodating therein axially aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging a securing member, and others of said elements he means within the conical portion of said central bore ing conically shaped wedging elements of elastic between said cable and said electrode, at least one and electrically insulating substance and constitutof said conical wedging means being electrically coning the packings disposed on both ends of said halfductive and providing electrical interconnection beshells. tween the feed cable and the electrode body 5. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comand the other of the conical wedging means prising: being wedged into physical contact with opposite an electrode body provided with an approximately cenends of the at least one wedging means for further tral bore of which a portion is substantially conical, securing the same to the electrode and the feed cable. a substantially uninterrupted feed cable extending 9. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central :bore of which a portion is substantially conical, a feed cable extending through said central bore,

ing elements Wedgingly accommodated within the and means for securing said electrode to said cable and conical portion of said central bore between said at the same time providing an electrical connection Cable and Said electrode, therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, said elements being bonded to both said cable and said physically adjacent conical wedging means wedgingly electrode, accommoated within the conical portion of said censome of said elements being made of a conductor matral bore between said cable and said electrode,

terial wedged into said bore to assure the electrical said wedging means including two half-shells made of connection, a conductive material and placed on both sides over said last-mentioned elements being constituted by the a bar cable portion.

two conical half-shells made of a conductive material 10, A electrode idi h di protection, and placed on both sides over the bare cable, annuprising;

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical,

a feed cable extending through said central bore, and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection cally shaped wedging elements of elastic and electrically insulated u stance w dg d i to phy ic l therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, contact With each end of the half shells and COIlSilphysically adjacent conical wedging means; wedg. tilting the Packings SP On both ends of Said ingly accommodated within the-conical portion of half-shells for further securing the same in a set axial aid entral here between said cable and said position relative to the cable and to the electrode l ct ode, body, said wedging means including two half-shells made of 6. An electrode providing Cathodic pYOieCiiOn, a conductive material and placed on both sides over prising: a bare cable portion, groove means in said halfan electrode body provided with an approximately censhells for accommodating therein a holding element. ilal bore of which a Portion is Substantially Conical, 11. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comsaid body being made of a ferro-silicon alloy,

a feed cable extending through said central bore,

and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical conprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical, a feed cable extending through said central bore,

nection therebetween including a plurality of axially and means for securing said electrode to said cable aligned, P y y adjacent ConiCal g g means and :at the same time providing an electrical conaccommodated within the conical port on of said nection therebetween including a plurality of axially central bore between said cable and said electrode. aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging means 7. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comwedgingly accommodated within the conical portion prising: 5 of said central bore between said cable and said an electrode body provided with an approximately cenelectrode,

i fll o e f Which a portion is subsianiifllly Conical, said wedging means including two half-shells made of a fe d Ca e ex g gh said central bore, a conductive material and placed on both sides over and means for securing said electrode to said cable and a bare cable portion, annular groove means in said at the same time providing an electrical connection halfhell for accommodating therein va holding therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, element, physically adjacent Conical wedging means C said wedging means also including conically shaped modated within the conical portion of said central wedging elements of elastic and electrically insulatbore between said cable and said electrode, ing material and wedged into physical contact with the electrical connection between said cable and said each end of the half shells and constituting the packings disposed axially on both ends of said half-shells for further securing the same in a set axial position relative to the feed cable and the electrode body.

12. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical, said body being made of a ferro-silicon alloy,

a feed cable extending through said central bore,

and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging means wedgingly accommodated within the conical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode,

said elements being bonded to both said cable and said electrode.

13. An electrode providing cathodic protection, comprising:

an electrode body provided with an approximately central bore of which a portion is substantially conical, said body being made of a ferr c-silicon alloy,

a feed cable extending through said central bore,

and means for securing said electrode to said cable and at the same time providing an electrical connection therebetween including a plurality of axially aligned, physically adjacent conical wedging means wedgingly accommodated within the conical portion of said central bore between said cable and said electrode,

said elements being bonded to both said cable and said electrode, said wedging means including two-half-shells made of a conductive material and placed on both sides over a bare cable portion, annular groove means in said half-shells for accommodating therein a holding element,

said wedging means also including conically shaped wedging elements of elastic and electrically insulating material wedged into physical contact with each end of the half shells and constituting the packings disposed axially on both ends of said half-shells for further securing the same in a set axial location relative to the cable and to the electrode body.

14. A method for securing to a cable an electrode offering cathodic protection and provided with a central bore of which a portion is conical,

comprising the steps of threading over said cable, in

the absence of any cable cutting, a predetermined number of said electrodes, mounting over said cable elastic and electrically insulating packing member of a first conical shape for each electrode,

mounting at least one electrical connecting member of conical shape over said cable for each electrode and securing the same thereon,

mounting over said cable elastic and electrically insulating packing member of a second conical shape for each electrode,

and wedging said members into saidconical bore portion of their respective electrodes.

15. A method for securing to a cable an electrode offering cathodic protection and provided with a central bore 7 of which a portion is conical,

comprising the steps of threading over said cable, in the absence of any cable cutting, a predetermined number of said electrodes, coating said cable and the inner surfaces of said bores with a bonding material, mounting over said cable elastic and electrically insulating packing member of a first conical shape for each electrode,

mounting at least one electrical connecting member of conical shape over said cable for each electrode and securing the same thereon,

mounting over said cable elastic and electrically in sulating packing member of a second conical shape for each electrode,

and wedging said members into said conical portion of their respective electrodes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,218,138 3/1917 Wachter 24-126.3 1,706,833 3/1929 Zagorski. 2,082,566 6/1937 Berndt 174-79 2,507,694 5/1950 Cox 174-84.3 3,049,775 8/1962 Ondeck 24-126 3,098,027 7/1963 Flower 204196 3,239,443 3/1966 Bryan et al. 204-196 FOREIGN PATENTS 706,901 4/1931 France.

JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner. T. H. TUNG, Assistant Examiner.- 

1. AN ELECTRODE PROVIDING CATHODIC PROTECTION, COMPRISING: AN ELECTRODE BODY PROVIDED WITH AN APPROXIMATELY CENTRAL BORE OF WHICH A PORTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL, A SUBSTANTIALLY UNINTERRUPTED FEED CABLE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CENTRAL BORE, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID ELECTRODE TO SAID CABLE AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY ALIGNED PHYSICALLY ADJACENT CONICAL WEDGING ELEMENTS WEDGINGLY ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE CONICAL PORTION OF SAID CENTRAL BORE BETWEEN SAID CABLE AND SAID ELECTRODE. 